Fiber-cleaning machine.



'PATENTEDJUNE 25, 1907..

J. GAR-01A. FIBER GLEANING. MACHINE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED MAY 27, 1904.

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PAT-BREED, JUNE 25, 1907.

J. GARCIA. FIBER CLEANING MACHINE.

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'NO. 858,337. PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

' J. GARCIA.

FIBER CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 27,1904.

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invented a certain acting, holding,

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Batent. 7 Application filed May 27.1904. SerialNo. 210,055-

Patented June 25, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH GARCIA, a citi-' zen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State ofNew York, certify that I have v new and useful Fiber- Cleaning Machine,of which the following is a specification.

-My invention relates to an apparatus for separating the filamentoussubstance from the long leaf agaves, and in particular henequen, sacquior sisal hemp, andother similar long fiber producing plants, and it hasfor its object the provision of an apparatus of the kind set forthcomparatively simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture andwhich operates smoothly and efficiently in practical use.

To attain the desired end, this, my invention consists in novel devicesand combinations of devices hereinafter described.

In order to enable my invention to be fully understood, I will proceedto explain the same by reference to the drawings which accompany andform a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents a planview of a fiber cleaning machine constructed according to my inventionthe feed table shown in Fig. 2

being omitted; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same and Figs. 3, 4 and5 are views in detail of my gripping device.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the views.

I have found it desirable to make an apparatus by the use of which thefollowing operations may be combined in, and automatically erformed by,a single machine, namely rst, the plants are crushed so that the stalksand leaves shall be of a practically uniform thickness in order tosecure economy of power in operating the machine; second, the plantsare'carried through the machine and supported loosely by a suitableconveying means or carrier; third, the middle of the plants is caught bya positively or gripping device, while one end (preferably nearly onehalf of the whole length) of the plants is decorticated or cleanedfourth, the plants are moved transversely a short distance as regardsthe second cleaning mechanism by the gripping device; fifth, the cleanedor extracted fibers are caught by another positively acting grippingdevice, while the remaining part of the plants (being ordinarily alittle more than one half in length) is cleaned by the scraping wheel;and, finally, the cleaned fibers are discharged upon a suitable holdingdevice; and I have, therefore, constructed according to my invention anapparatus of the class described, embodying the preferred constructionof parts, and their mutual relationship, combination, arrangement andorganization in a composite body or structure, as hereinafter described.

Referring particularly to the drawings A A denote my crushing rollerslocated at the end of the feeding table and preferably bearingcorrugated faces and supported by shafts a, a. The rollers A, A, areordinarily made of a length equal to about one half of the length of theleaves to be treated, the thinner ends of the said leaves being fedbetween the gears A also carried by the said shafts a and a. The shaft ais also provided with a bevel gear a which meshes into the bevel gear bcarried by the shaft 1) which is rotated by means of the pulley B.-

The crushing roller A is ordinarily somewhat longer than the roller Aand carries in a peripheral groove a belt C which encircles the same andalso the pulley D which with the gear D, together withthe grip wheel Dare rigidly mounted upon the shaft d. The belt C serves as a carrier orconveying means to receive the leaves after the same leave the feedtable, and to carry the same to the grip wheel D The grip wheel D isformed with peripheral longitudinal grooves or corrugations 01 and has,preferably located at the edges thereof, serrations d Superimposed onthe toothed grip wheel or wheel carrier D for moving the plant andconstructed and arranged to coact therewith are a series of yieldingblocks or platens E supported in a frame E forming each a segment of anarc whose center is the same as that of said wheel and the lower facesof the blocks being corrugated or grooved to register with thecorrugations d of the wheel D Recesses e are formed in the said blocksto contain springs e, by means of which springs e and the controllingscrews 6 which work in the frame E, a predetermined pressure may beapplied individually to the blocks E, the said elastic means thusserving to hold. the said blocks into approximate contact with the wheelwith an increased or decreased elastic pressure at will.

The cleaning or scraping wheel F carries scrapers and knives of theordinary description and serves in connection with the adjacent ordinaryplate or shoe to clean the thicker end of the leaves which, as stated,are supported by the grip wheel and the blocks. The cleaning wheel F ismounted on a shaft f which is rotated by the pulley F. As the leaves aremoved. forward by the grip wheel D and while still held between the saidgrip wheel and the blocks E the cleaned fibers will pass over onto thehorizontal top portion of a plate G.

Y Any given point at the highest point of the grip wheel D lies adjacentto the top of the horizontal portion of the plate G which extends underthe cleaned fibers. But as that point on the periphery of the grip wheeldescends in the course of the revolution of the said wheel, it willgradually move away from the top of the plate G and the distance betweenthe two will be constantly increased. Consequently by the time that theleaves pass away from between the grip wheel D and the blocks E, thefibers will be moved transversely across the plate G until the part ofthe cleaned fibers that rests upon the said plate G will be quite adistance from the uncleaned part of the leaves just being released fromthe gripping device. That is to say the point at which the leaves aresupported is moved transversely as regards the said leaves by the actionof the gripping device. The series of yieldingblocks E allow for theinequalities of the thickness of the leaves. At the time the leavesemerge from between the grip wheel D and the blocks E they will passdown the depending hook or prong at the end of the plate G and thecleaned portion of the same will be caught between the grip wheel H andthe yielding blocks J. The grip wheel H has peripheral corrugations hand serrations 7L2 at the edges thereof, and the superimposed blocks Jare held in a frame J and are formed with recesses j in which arelocated springs j, the tension of which may be adjusted by the screwswhich work in the frame J, and the said blocks are also formed withcorrugations to register with the corrugations of the grip wheel H Whenthe remaining portions of the leaves have been cleaned by the scraper K,the leaves are released by the grip wheel H and blocks J and the sameare deposited upon suitable holding means as the hook L. The scraper Kcarries suitable knives and scrapers and is mounted upon a shaft 7cwhich is rotated by the pulley K. At the end of this shaft is located abevel gear is which meshes with the bevel gear 762 mounted on a verticalshaft and provided at its lower end with another bevel gear which mesheswith the bevel gear k on the shaft K The latter shaft carries gears 76*and 765 which respectively rotate the gears D, H on the shafts'd and h.

It will be observed that the series of blocks E and J constituteflexible platens.

These blocks form with respect to the wheels 'D and H a series ofsuperimposed difi'erential devices each constructed and arranged toyield respectively a greater or less degree and to move away from theperiphery of the wheel a distance according to the thickness of theleaves to be treated; which blocks coact with and work in the plane ofthe said wheel. The second gripping device .receives the leaves directlyfrom the Iirst gripping mechanism, the said first gripping device beingconstructed and arranged to deliver the cleaned portions of the leavesto the second gripping device a little to one side of the pathpreviously followed. by the leaves. This change of the position of theleaves is caused by means located adjacent to the first gripping device,in the present embodiment consisting of the arm or plate G, which devicecauses parts of the leaves to be drawn away from the plane of the secondgripping device.

It will be observed that the blocks or platens E or J form, inconnection with the movable carriers D or H a co-operating means whichis elastically held in approximate contact and sliding engagement withthe said movable carrier so as to be differentially yieldable atdifferent points of the carrier, whereby plants of varying thicknessesmay be grasped and rigidly held between the said carrier andco-operating means.

As it is evident that many changes in the construction, form,proportion, and relative arrangement of parts might be resorted towithout departing from the spirit andv scope of my invention, I would.have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the p articularconstruction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but that suchchanges and equivalents may be substituted therefor, and that, I do notclaim the gripping mechanism in this application, as that forms thesubject matter of my application Serial No. 320,210, filed June 4, 1906.

WVhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a fiber cleaning machine,crushing rollers, a wheel to directly grip the leaves, a belt todirectly connect the said roller and grip wheel, and. cleaning meanslocated opposite the said grip wheel.

2. In a fiber cleaning machine, a cleaning mechanism, means locatedopposite the same to grip the leaves and to move the same transverselyof or across the machine in a practically horizontal direction and atright angles to the axis of the cleaning mechanism, a second grippingdevice, and a cleaning mechanism located opposite the latter.

3. In a fiber cleaning machine, a gripping device, an oppositelydisposed cleaning mechanism, a second gripping device to receive theleaves treated by the first cleaning mechanism, a cleaning mechanismlocated opposite the second gripping device. and means located adjacentto the first gripping device to coact with the said device to cause theleaves to be drawn transversely and ractically horizontally across thelane 0 the second gripping device, while sti l heldin the first grippingmechanism.

4. In a fiber cleaning machine, a gripping device, and an oppositelydisposed cleaning mechanism, a second gripping device and an oppositelydisposed cleaning mechanism, and means intermediate the two grippingdevices to cause parts of the leaves to be drawn transversely across theplane of the second gripping device so that the second gripping devicewill bite the cleaned portion or fiber of the leaves treated by thefirst cleaning mechanism, and consisting of an arm or plate constructedand arranged to support the leaves in such a manner that the action ofthe first named gripping device will draw the leaves across the saidarm.

5. In a fiber cleaning machine, a cleaning device, a support for theleaves the rear portion of which extends downwardly, and a grippingdevice to hold the leaves while being cleaned, and to draw them acrossthe support, and then entirely release the said leaves to allow the sameto slide downwardly on the said support in combination with a secondgripping and cleaning mechanism.

6. In a fiber cleaning machine, a gripping device, a second grippingdevice, and an intermediate leaf supporting arm or plate, the

rear ortion of which extends downwardly, the st gripping device beingconstructed and arranged to hold the leaves while being cleaned, and tomove the leaves transversely across the said arm relative to the secondgripping device, and to deliver the moved leaves to the latter.

7. In a fiber cleaning machine, a gripping device, a second grippingdevice, an intermediate leaf supporting arm or plate the rear portion ofwhich extends downwardly, the first gripping device being constructedand arranged to hold the leaves while being cleaned, and to move theleaves transversely across the said arm and to deliver the moved leavesto the second gripping device, each of said gripping devices consistingof awheel and a sense: of superimposed yielding devices.

8. In a fiber cleaning machine, a gripping device, cleaning means,crushing rollers to crush a portion of the leaves, and leaf supportinggears to hold the uncrushed portion of the leaves placed in alinementwith the crushing roller.

In testimony of the foregoing specification I do hereby sign the same inthe city of New York, county and State of New York this 6th day of May1904.

JOSEPH GARCIA. Witnesses:

Ros. SOHWARZ, J. ODELL FOWLER, Jr.

